Somerset GPs launch five-year plan in face of massive Government cuts

DOCTORS in Somerset facing Government funding cuts of £200million have launched a five-year strategy to safeguard people’s health.

The strategy has been created by the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group in Somerset – which represents 400 GPs in the area – with the aim of maintaining a high standard of care within the budget constraints.

The areas the Somerset CCG will be tackling include eliminating avoidable deaths in hospitals, reducing time spent in hospital through better and more integrated care in the community and reducing the number of years of life lost through treatable conditions such as cancer, strokes, heart disease, respiratory disease and liver disease.

Somerset CCG plans to make the patients, public and carers a key focus in its five-year plan with the hopes of encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, supporting self-care and helping people to manage their conditions.

Dr Matthew Dolman, chairman of the Somerset CCG, said: “There needs to be a community-wide response.

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“All of the NHS organisations, the county and district councils, voluntary and support organisations, and most importantly the patients, public and carers need to work together to build a sustainable NHS in Somerset for generations to come.”

To find out more about the Somerset CCG’s five-year strategy visit www.somersetccg.nhs.uk or email 5yStrategy@somersetccg.nhs.uk

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Comments (3)

A meeting of the Somerset branch of the Socialist Party recently welcomed a speaker from Bracknell, who explained that... ...In the fight to defend our NHS, it is vitally important to know your enemy. "In their attempts to destroy the NHS the government has established local organisations under the guise of local accountability. In reality these bodies are part and parcel of the privatisation and fragmentation agenda. The most important are the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). They exist in every locality, are responsible for spending about 80% of the national NHS budget, comprise of local GPs and commission most NHS services. It is they that are responsible for outsourcing medical services to private providers. For example in Bracknell, when the NHS Minor Injuries Unit closed at Heatherwood Hospital, it was the CCG that commissioned a private provider to replace it. Sometimes there could be a clear conflict of interest with GPs both commissioning services and being themselves providers of private services. Another body is the Healthwatch (HW), which is meant to be the local independent, health watchdog on behalf of patients. It is neither independent nor democratic. It is funded by the government via the local authority, although the money is not ring-fenced. HW is commissioned by the local authority although the latter is responsible for public health, a clear conflict of interest. In Bracknell the HW is supportive of all the government's reforms, including privatisation of dementia services. In fact they castigated campaigners for demonstrating against the privatisation. So campaigners launched Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch, which is democratic, accountable and fights against NHS privatisation and calls for openness and transparency in the NHS. Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch recently organised a survey asking people what they know about these bodies. Early indications are that most people have never heard about them, yet they are the organisations running the NHS at a local level. Mobilising the trade unions nationally to fight the government privatisation of the NHS is vital, but it is also important to build local struggles. In Bracknell campaigners have built a united front against the government policies, involving trade unionists, pensioners, anti-cuts campaigners, political activists and patients." The spokesperson for Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch concluded by saying, "we think that to defeat the government we must first understand their strategy. While the local NHS bosses do not like us they have learned to respect us, after all we obtained 25,000 names opposing closure of our local hospital and they were forced to back off." For more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit www.socialistparty.o rg.uk

A meeting of the Somerset branch of the Socialist Party recently welcomed a speaker from Bracknell, who explained that...
...In the fight to defend our NHS, it is vitally important to know your enemy.
"In their attempts to destroy the NHS the government has established local organisations under the guise of local accountability.
In reality these bodies are part and parcel of the privatisation and fragmentation agenda.
The most important are the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). They exist in every locality, are responsible for spending about 80% of the national NHS budget, comprise of local GPs and commission most NHS services.
It is they that are responsible for outsourcing medical services to private providers.
For example in Bracknell, when the NHS Minor Injuries Unit closed at Heatherwood Hospital, it was the CCG that commissioned a private provider to replace it.
Sometimes there could be a clear conflict of interest with GPs both commissioning services and being themselves providers of private services.
Another body is the Healthwatch (HW), which is meant to be the local independent, health watchdog on behalf of patients.
It is neither independent nor democratic. It is funded by the government via the local authority, although the money is not ring-fenced.
HW is commissioned by the local authority although the latter is responsible for public health, a clear conflict of interest.
In Bracknell the HW is supportive of all the government's reforms, including privatisation of dementia services.
In fact they castigated campaigners for demonstrating against the privatisation. So campaigners launched Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch, which is democratic, accountable and fights against NHS privatisation and calls for openness and transparency in the NHS.
Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch recently organised a survey asking people what they know about these bodies. Early indications are that most people have never heard about them, yet they are the organisations running the NHS at a local level.
Mobilising the trade unions nationally to fight the government privatisation of the NHS is vital, but it is also important to build local struggles.
In Bracknell campaigners have built a united front against the government policies, involving trade unionists, pensioners, anti-cuts campaigners, political activists and patients."
The spokesperson for Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch concluded by saying,
"we think that to defeat the government we must first understand their strategy. While the local NHS bosses do not like us they have learned to respect us, after all we obtained 25,000 names opposing closure of our local hospital and they were forced to back off."
For more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit www.socialistparty.o
rg.ukSocialistParty-SomersetBranch

A meeting of the Somerset branch of the Socialist Party recently welcomed a speaker from Bracknell, who explained that... ...In the fight to defend our NHS, it is vitally important to know your enemy. "In their attempts to destroy the NHS the government has established local organisations under the guise of local accountability. In reality these bodies are part and parcel of the privatisation and fragmentation agenda. The most important are the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). They exist in every locality, are responsible for spending about 80% of the national NHS budget, comprise of local GPs and commission most NHS services. It is they that are responsible for outsourcing medical services to private providers. For example in Bracknell, when the NHS Minor Injuries Unit closed at Heatherwood Hospital, it was the CCG that commissioned a private provider to replace it. Sometimes there could be a clear conflict of interest with GPs both commissioning services and being themselves providers of private services. Another body is the Healthwatch (HW), which is meant to be the local independent, health watchdog on behalf of patients. It is neither independent nor democratic. It is funded by the government via the local authority, although the money is not ring-fenced. HW is commissioned by the local authority although the latter is responsible for public health, a clear conflict of interest. In Bracknell the HW is supportive of all the government's reforms, including privatisation of dementia services. In fact they castigated campaigners for demonstrating against the privatisation. So campaigners launched Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch, which is democratic, accountable and fights against NHS privatisation and calls for openness and transparency in the NHS. Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch recently organised a survey asking people what they know about these bodies. Early indications are that most people have never heard about them, yet they are the organisations running the NHS at a local level. Mobilising the trade unions nationally to fight the government privatisation of the NHS is vital, but it is also important to build local struggles. In Bracknell campaigners have built a united front against the government policies, involving trade unionists, pensioners, anti-cuts campaigners, political activists and patients." The spokesperson for Bracknell Forest People's Healthwatch concluded by saying, "we think that to defeat the government we must first understand their strategy. While the local NHS bosses do not like us they have learned to respect us, after all we obtained 25,000 names opposing closure of our local hospital and they were forced to back off." For more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit www.socialistparty.o rg.uk

Score: 0

SocialistParty-SomersetBranch says...2:21pm Thu 3 Jul 14

Underfunding crisis threatens NHS Doctors have recently warned that the National Health Service (NHS) is facing collapsing services due to an underfunding crisis. However, the Con-Dem government is keen to point out that spending on the NHS is both 'ring-fenced' from austerity cuts and is rising in real terms. In reality... *The government is pushing through £20 billion in 'efficiency savings' ie cuts, by 2015, while NHS England estimates a £30 billion shortfall by 2021. *Making cuts means fewer staff and poorer healthcare. Since the Con-Dems came into office there are 5,000 fewer nurses working in the NHS. Staff shortages have resulted in trusts having to use agencies to supply staff costing even more money. For example, there has been a 60% rise in the total bill for locum doctors in the past three years. *The drive to achieve Foundation Trust (FT) status (all hospital trusts were meant to become FTs by April 2014) has also sparked rounds of cost cutting. It contributed to the scandal of 'excessive deaths' at the Mid Staffordshire Hospital because management cut permanent staffing levels on wards. *Furthermore, the rate of inflation in the NHS is significantly higher as a result of the excessive cost of drugs charged by mega-profitable pharmaceutical companies. *NHS resources are also being siphoned by rip-off Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts. Construction and maintenance of all new buildings in the NHS must be done through PFIs. These decades-long deals amount to a super-expensive hire-purchase arrangement, except that the buildings are not owned by the NHS but leased back to health trusts. PFI payments have drained many trusts of resources threatening healthcare provision. Over 25 trusts are currently facing bankruptcy. *In 2012, South London Healthcare Trust had to be placed in administration, following bankruptcy, because PFI repayments amounted to 14% of its income. *Under the 2013 Health and Social Care Act, 60% of the NHS budget will be open to for-profit private health providers. *Since 2005, Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) run by for-profit companies have been awarded contracts in the NHS to deliver minor elective treatment, but are estimated to charge 11.5% more for operations than those carried out by the NHS. Don't just get angry...get organised! To find out more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit: www.socialistparty.o rg.uk

Underfunding crisis threatens NHS
Doctors have recently warned that the National Health Service (NHS) is facing collapsing services due to an underfunding crisis. However, the Con-Dem government is keen to point out that spending on the NHS is both 'ring-fenced' from austerity cuts and is rising in real terms. In reality...
*The government is pushing through £20 billion in 'efficiency savings' ie cuts, by 2015, while NHS England estimates a £30 billion shortfall by 2021.
*Making cuts means fewer staff and poorer healthcare. Since the Con-Dems came into office there are 5,000 fewer nurses working in the NHS. Staff shortages have resulted in trusts having to use agencies to supply staff costing even more money. For example, there has been a 60% rise in the total bill for locum doctors in the past three years.
*The drive to achieve Foundation Trust (FT) status (all hospital trusts were meant to become FTs by April 2014) has also sparked rounds of cost cutting. It contributed to the scandal of 'excessive deaths' at the Mid Staffordshire Hospital because management cut permanent staffing levels on wards.
*Furthermore, the rate of inflation in the NHS is significantly higher as a result of the excessive cost of drugs charged by mega-profitable pharmaceutical companies.
*NHS resources are also being siphoned by rip-off Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts. Construction and maintenance of all new buildings in the NHS must be done through PFIs. These decades-long deals amount to a super-expensive hire-purchase arrangement, except that the buildings are not owned by the NHS but leased back to health trusts. PFI payments have drained many trusts of resources threatening healthcare provision. Over 25 trusts are currently facing bankruptcy.
*In 2012, South London Healthcare Trust had to be placed in administration, following bankruptcy, because PFI repayments amounted to 14% of its income.
*Under the 2013 Health and Social Care Act, 60% of the NHS budget will be open to for-profit private health providers.
*Since 2005, Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) run by for-profit companies have been awarded contracts in the NHS to deliver minor elective treatment, but are estimated to charge 11.5% more for operations than those carried out by the NHS.
Don't just get angry...get organised!
To find out more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit:
www.socialistparty.o
rg.ukSocialistParty-SomersetBranch

Underfunding crisis threatens NHS Doctors have recently warned that the National Health Service (NHS) is facing collapsing services due to an underfunding crisis. However, the Con-Dem government is keen to point out that spending on the NHS is both 'ring-fenced' from austerity cuts and is rising in real terms. In reality... *The government is pushing through £20 billion in 'efficiency savings' ie cuts, by 2015, while NHS England estimates a £30 billion shortfall by 2021. *Making cuts means fewer staff and poorer healthcare. Since the Con-Dems came into office there are 5,000 fewer nurses working in the NHS. Staff shortages have resulted in trusts having to use agencies to supply staff costing even more money. For example, there has been a 60% rise in the total bill for locum doctors in the past three years. *The drive to achieve Foundation Trust (FT) status (all hospital trusts were meant to become FTs by April 2014) has also sparked rounds of cost cutting. It contributed to the scandal of 'excessive deaths' at the Mid Staffordshire Hospital because management cut permanent staffing levels on wards. *Furthermore, the rate of inflation in the NHS is significantly higher as a result of the excessive cost of drugs charged by mega-profitable pharmaceutical companies. *NHS resources are also being siphoned by rip-off Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts. Construction and maintenance of all new buildings in the NHS must be done through PFIs. These decades-long deals amount to a super-expensive hire-purchase arrangement, except that the buildings are not owned by the NHS but leased back to health trusts. PFI payments have drained many trusts of resources threatening healthcare provision. Over 25 trusts are currently facing bankruptcy. *In 2012, South London Healthcare Trust had to be placed in administration, following bankruptcy, because PFI repayments amounted to 14% of its income. *Under the 2013 Health and Social Care Act, 60% of the NHS budget will be open to for-profit private health providers. *Since 2005, Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) run by for-profit companies have been awarded contracts in the NHS to deliver minor elective treatment, but are estimated to charge 11.5% more for operations than those carried out by the NHS. Don't just get angry...get organised! To find out more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit: www.socialistparty.o rg.uk

Score: 0

SocialistParty-SomersetBranch says...2:40pm Thu 3 Jul 14

The Socialist Party fights for: *No cuts. Abolish the Health and Social Care Act which allows the further selling off of our NHS to private companies *End big business profiteering from the NHS: Abandon the Private Finance Initiative which is bleeding the NHS dry *End NHS job losses and low pay. No downbanding *Nationalise the pharmaceutical and medical supply industries and all private health providers *A fully publicly funded NHS, free for all at the point of use *Democratic control and accountability of health services *United action to defend the NHS - the TUC must name the day for a 24-hour general strike against austerity *A new mass workers' party that fights for these demands. Support the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (www.tusc.org.uk) as a step in this direction *A socialist planned society that can genuinely meet and exceed the original aims of the NHS Don't just get angry...get organised! To find out more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit: www.socialistparty.o rg.uk

The Socialist Party fights for:
*No cuts. Abolish the Health and Social Care Act which allows the further selling off of our NHS to private companies
*End big business profiteering from the NHS: Abandon the Private Finance Initiative which is bleeding the NHS dry
*End NHS job losses and low pay. No downbanding
*Nationalise the pharmaceutical and medical supply industries and all private health providers
*A fully publicly funded NHS, free for all at the point of use
*Democratic control and accountability of health services
*United action to defend the NHS - the TUC must name the day for a 24-hour general strike against austerity
*A new mass workers' party that fights for these demands. Support the
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (www.tusc.org.uk) as a step in this direction
*A socialist planned society that can genuinely meet and exceed the original aims of the NHS
Don't just get angry...get organised!
To find out more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit:
www.socialistparty.o
rg.ukSocialistParty-SomersetBranch

The Socialist Party fights for: *No cuts. Abolish the Health and Social Care Act which allows the further selling off of our NHS to private companies *End big business profiteering from the NHS: Abandon the Private Finance Initiative which is bleeding the NHS dry *End NHS job losses and low pay. No downbanding *Nationalise the pharmaceutical and medical supply industries and all private health providers *A fully publicly funded NHS, free for all at the point of use *Democratic control and accountability of health services *United action to defend the NHS - the TUC must name the day for a 24-hour general strike against austerity *A new mass workers' party that fights for these demands. Support the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (www.tusc.org.uk) as a step in this direction *A socialist planned society that can genuinely meet and exceed the original aims of the NHS Don't just get angry...get organised! To find out more information, or to join the Socialist Party, visit: www.socialistparty.o rg.uk

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